Why do US presidential candidate came to the USSR.

01.19.2016 at a meeting of the asset Yaroslavl Regional Public Organization "Society of Friendship" Russian - American Association "came Paul Sonne, a correspondent for« The Wall Street Journal ». On his own initiative he had come to talk about the US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders Democrat. It so happened that a member of the American presidential race in 2016, was in Yaroslavl in the Soviet years.

In the late 80s, when warmer relations between the US and the USSR, Yaroslavl vigorously develop cultural and educational cooperation within the communion of sister cities, ie regional center and Burlington, a city in Vermont. Bernie Sander went to travel to their honeymoon in the USSR. So he drove to Yaroslavl. There was an initiative to create a "bridge across the ocean" by the Institute of the twin cities. And in 1988, he was signed partnership agreement with Burlington. We started work exchange programs: doctors, firemen, nurses, teachers, librarians, hockey players, politicians, actors and singing choirs and musical groups, museum workers, etc. Knotted business and friendly contacts developed so-called "diplomacy at the level of the grass," which helped to learn about the countries more to dispel the myths and stereotypes, there was a surge of interest in the study of English and Russian citizens of the two countries.

Although Sanders led the mayoralty of a small town, but the views he had with the policy ambitions. As a result of progress in the US Congress: first, the House of Representatives, and then became a senator from Vermont.

The political system in the United States is preparing for the elections need to stick to some kind of political "shore" - Democratic or Republican. Sanders different ideas of social innovations that have become key in his race for the leadership. To what extent such a candidate - a new phenomenon for the Americans, who believe in the independence of its hard, although his campaign proposals look very attractive and sincere: he wants to draw the attention of the state machine to access to health care and higher education.

Meet with a Russian-speaking American journalist gathered activists friendship societies, communicate privately with Sanders during his visit in 1988, with the rank of mayor, and in contact with him when he was already in the status of a senator.

Does this hurt the candidate that he had been in the Soviet Union? Hardly. However, the friendship of sister cities, survived the Land of the Soviets and wrote to Russia today. Continue the exchange trip. The festival has become a tradition, "Bridge over the Ocean" held Friendship Society (leader Irina Novikova). In its program of cultural and educational activities, to continue the exchange of experts trips, personal contacts, which, thanks to social networks, have become operative. Burlington also carried out various activities. For example, currently on display exhibition "" The world through the eyes of children "from the studio of artist Vladimir Reutov Yaroslavl.

If you get a grasp of speech 74 hletnego Sanders on the debate, in the assessment of the country of his rhetoric is different, for example, abstracts Hillary Clinton: it supports sanctions against Russia.

About US presidential candidates responded Yaroslavl as an extraordinary man, but doubted his political success. But the world today is in an altered form of civil consciousness in which prediction is practically not working. We wait and see what will happen next.